NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, January 15, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 778, 15 January 1853, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, January 15, 1853.

The latest news received from Melbourne is not of an encouraging character. The number of arrivals continued to increase, while the weekly amount of gold received from the digings had fallen off very considerably. The localities, as Mount Alexander, Bendigo, and other places, where gold was formerly found in the greatest abundance, appear to be exhausted, and disappointment and , distress were very general among those who, in haste to get rich, had flocked in such numbers to this great centre of attraction. By the Esther md Gwalior many persons have returned who left this place for the diggings, and by the Spray, which was to call at Nelson on its way hither, thirty more New Zealand Settlers were returning from the diggings, and there was little doubt that nearly all who had left New Zealand for Melbourne would find their way back again as speedily as possible; many, we fear, will have cause to regret that they were ever tempted by these delusive dreams of gold to wander so far to so little purpose. However, as far as New Zealand is concerned, we imagine the illusion is completely dissipated, and few will be induced to leave theWSfittled -occupatfafls in** search of gold, or exchange the sober certainty of doing well in New Zealand for the precarious lottery which the search for gold has proved to be. "We have received an excellent letter from Melbourne describing the present state of things there, the publication of which we regret we must defer to our next number. From recent extensive importations, the price of flour and other articles of general consumption had fallen considerably. The recent arrivals of flour here, with a knowledge of the state of the markets at Sydney and Melbourne, have caused it to decline rapidly in price. At the sale of flour on Thursday £18 per ton was realized, and the price may be stated not to exceed £20 per ton, yet with this very great reduction in price, the bakers, who have supplied themselves with recently imported flour, charge 7d. per loaf. When flour is £40 per ton the 21b, loaf is sold at Bd, when it is reduced to £20 per ton, the bakers charge 7d. per loaf. Surely the public should apply a rem6dy to this state of things, and not quietly submit to be taxed at this enormous rate by the bakers for their own especial benefit in one of the necessary articles of life. The Melbourne Argus contains a rumour that Mr. Chapman, late Colonial Secretary of Van Diemen's Land, and formerly Judge at Wellington, had arrived at Melbourne, and would probably be appointed Colonial Secretary of Victoria. The same paper contains an announcement of the somewhat sudden death of J. C. M'Laren, Esq., formerly Inspector of the Union Bank of Australia from severe injuries of the spine, through a fall caused by a tether rope becoming entangled with his legs. Auckland papers were received by the overland mail yesterday, they do not contain any s fresh news of great importance relating to the 5 diggings at Coromandel, which were steadily 2 progressing. The Southern Cross states that B land in Auckland and its neighbourhood, was ■ rapidly advancing in value. The New Ztaj lander contains an interesting account, extract- . Ed from the Maori Messenger, of the negotia5 tions for the sanction by the natives of the ♦ right of working the Gold discovered on their f lands, at a meeting of native chiefs, which was * also attended by Lieut Governor Wynyard, J the Bishop of New Zealand, and Chief Justice Martin , At Taranaki some movements were taking • place with a view to the elections under the S New Constitution. Mr. Halse had been ixr ' vited to become a candidate for the office o [ Superintendent, and it was believed his eleo • tion might be considered certain. On the \ other hand Major Richmond, at Nelson, find- ■ ing there was likely to be a contest for the \ office in that settlement, as several candidates

were about to offer themselves, had preferred withdrawing "rather than, as far as he was concerned, disturb the settlement by a contested election. The LytUllon Times contains Mr. Godley's last speech, at a breakfast given to him by his friends before his departure from the Canterbury settlement, in which He often took leave, bat teemed loth, to depart. We do not observe anything else of local interest in the last numbers that have reached us.

Gold.— The Wave, which arrived yesterday evening from Lyttelton after a quick run of twenty hours, has brought a report of the discovery of gold in the Canterbury settlement. The master of the tPave states that, just before leaving, information was received at Lyttelton that gold had been found in considerable quantities on the hills skirting the Port Cooper Plains by parties who had been out prospecting. We may therefore shortly expect to receive more definite information on this subject.